Judge threatens to kick Donald Trump out of courtroom: “You can’t control yourself”
Trump is once again in a Manhattan courtroom, this time for the second defamation trial brought by E Jean Carroll. But his behavior may get him expelled.
The second defamation trial brought by E Jean Carroll against Donald Trump is under way in New York City. In the first trial last spring, a jury found that Trump had sexually assaulted Carroll and defamed her for his comments in 2022. As well she was awarded $5 million in damages. In this second trial she is seeking $10 million for the damages that his 2019 attacks on her while he was still president caused.
Trump skipped the first defamation trial as he was not obligated to attend. But for the second he has shown up, even though once again he doesn’t have to be there. However, his courtroom behavior has prompted US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is presiding over the trial, to warn him that he could forfeit his right to be there.
Judge threatens to kick Donald Trump out of courtroom: “You can’t control yourself”
“Mr Trump has the right to be present here. That right can be forfeited and it can be forfeited if he is disruptive and if he disregards court orders,” Judge Kaplan said.
Speaking directly to the defendant the justice added: “Mr Trump, I hope I don’t have to consider excluding you from the trial, I understand you are very eager for me to do that.”
“I would love it,” Trump replied throwing both hands in the air and shaking them. To which the judge said: “I know you would because you just can’t control yourself in this circumstance.”
Trump loudly makes comments during Carroll’s testimony
The first day of the trial began on Tuesday with Trump present for jury selection. However, he left before opening statements commenced in the afternoon and went to New Hampshire for a campaign rally where primary elections take place next week.
He was back again though on Wednesday to hear the testimony of his accuser who said that when then-President Trump called her a liar in 2019 for saying that he had raped her several years prior in a department store “it ended the world that [she] had been living in. And [she] entered a new world.”
That was one in which she began receiving scores if not hundreds of messages attacking her and threatening her with violence on a daily basis. Several of those messages were read out to the jury.
During her testimony, Trump, who was sitting at the defense table directly in front of her on the witness stand, was seen shaking his head and was loudly making comments about the testimony and the trial. Judge Kaplan, while the jury was out of the room, asked Trump “to take special care to keep his voice down,” so that the jury would not be able to overhear him.
However, Trump persisted and Carrol’s attorney informed the judge that he could be heard at their table some 12 feet away and could most likely be heard by the jury who were even closer to Trump. This prompted Judge Kaplan to warn the defendant that he could be kicked out of the proceedings if he didn’t behave himself.